New Life Lessons Aren't Always Fun or Easy

Earlier today I was on a conference call and they asked how summer was? I commented that we were starting week 3 of school, so my summer was over.

The Princess entered 2nd grade and my Monkey started K3. They are both at the same school now and this totally helps in so many ways. Uniforms!!!! Same drop off and pick up!!! They see each other at Pep Rally's, etc....

Last week our school experienced a tragic loss. In what seems a senseless and careless act at this point, one of the school's extra-curricular teachers was killed in a car accident. She was unmarried, no children, 35 year old and was an only child. We want to question God and often we do. We have to understand that His plans no matter how painful will end with joy. Maybe not as soon as we think, but at some point there will be Joy.

So, as I waited on the school to release that the horrible news was true. I prepared how I would explain this to my sweet and innocent child that had her in class just the day before. As we tucked in for the night, I explained to her that her teacher had gone to live with Jesus. That at all different ages God decides He is ready for one of us. God takes people that are 100 and he takes babies and people in between.

These were hard words to find. She just stared in to my eyes as though trying to understand. Her first question, "who will be my teacher in that room?" I explained that someone very special would be in there now and the school would make sure of it. We prayed for her teacher's parents, friends, teacher friends and students and that we knew the next day would be a very sad one at school.

While I thought we were finished for the night, I had not given much thought to the fact that the Monkey was listening to every word. She had tears rolling down her cheeks and told me that she didn't want to die. How did she get that? So, for days later she has continued (sporadically) to tell me she didn't want to die. I finally asked her what that meant. She thought for a moment and said "to go live in another house." Well, she's right! We had said the day before that the teacher had gone to another house with God.

How do they pick up and understand so much so soon?

Thank you, Lord for giving me the words to share such sad news with my children. Please continue to comfort the family and friends whose lives have been forever changed as a result of this accident.